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A pan with butter chicken.
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5 from 15 votes

Butter Chicken in 20 minutes

This butter chicken recipe is the best you will ever make and definitely better than any restaurant take out. Made with boneless chicken, yogurt, and easy to find spices, and done in just 20 minutes. Serve it over steam rice for a quick lunch or dinner.
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Keyword 20 mins, chicken, Chicken curry, Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 389kcal
Author Veena Azmanov
Cost $10

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Chicken thighs or breast
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Garlic grated
  • 1 tbsp Ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp Ghee or butter
  • 2 tbsp Tomato paste
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black pepper

SPICES

  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tbsp Coriander powder
  • 2 tsp Cumin powder
  • ½ tsp Garam masala
  • 2 tsp Paprika hot or sweet

WHOLE SPICES

  • 2 Cardamom pods
  • 1 Cinnamon stick
  • 1 Black cardamom (optional)
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 Curry leaves (optional)
Metric - US customary

Instructions

  • In a glass or stainless mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, all the spices, ginger, garlic, and lemon juice. Combine well.
  • You can leave this to marinate for 15 minutes on the counter up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
  • In a skillet or saute pan, add oil and ghee.
  • Add the whole spices – saute 30 seconds.
  • Then, add the chicken with marinade.
  • Stir fry for 2 minutes on medium-high.
  • Then, add the tomato paste – combine well.
  • Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Open pan, taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Garnish with cilantro leaves.
  • Server over steamed rice, chapati or naan.

Video

Notes

What can you do with leftover butter chicken?

Indian Butter Chicken is great to have on hand for many things, so leftovers are always a great thing to have on hand.
  1. Butter Chicken Wraps - This quick butter chicken makes a great snack for kids' school meals. You can buy or make tortilla or Indian chapati.
  2. or Butter Chicken Sandwiches - Use them as the base for sandwiches of course - add some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.
  3. Butter Chicken Noodles - Make a batch of butter chicken and instead of serving it with chapati or rice - serve it over a bed of steaming hot noodles.
  4. or Butter Chicken Pasta - Do the same with Pasta - serve it with a bowl of penne.
  5. Butter chicken pizza - sprinkle butter chicken pieces on your favorite pizza before the cheese.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 704mg | Potassium: 450mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 759IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 3mg